Deliverance

Recently, I was reading a review of four non-wheat pastas in the San Antonio Current, a free, weekly alternative newspaper, which I guess makes it like San Antonio's version of the C-ville Weekly here in Charlottesville. I stumbled across the review because three of the pastas were ones we'd tried from Trader Joe's. But what really caught my eye was what the author said about the other pasta he reviewed—Banza—which is made (mostly) from chickpeas:

The color, when cooked, is just a little more golden than standard pasta, so nobody would be the wiser if you were trying some stealth health moves. The texture's not a giveaway, either. It’s maybe just a tad chewier, kind of like whole wheat, if cooked to the low end of the time on the package (about 10 minutes). Especially when dressed with sauce and sprinkled with grated parmesan, the taste is almost a ringer for wheat. Only if you know it's chickpea, and you taste a shell solo, would you be the least bit suspicious. 

"The texture's not a giveaway," and "the taste is almost a ringer for wheat"?! Too good to be true. I read on suspiciously, but what the reviewer had to say about the three Trader Joe's pastas was fairly consistent with my own take on them: he liked the Organic Red Lentil Sedanini and Organic Brown Rice and Quinoa Fusilli well enough, but found the Organic Black Bean Rotini to be a "major disappointment" (which is actually an understatement—they are a horrible "bag of crap"). I was also encouraged that the Quick Tomato Sauce the reviewer made to sample the pastas with is a Cook's Illustrated recipe I like a lot.

So I hit the internet and read up on Banza pasta. What I found was also hopeful, lots of good reviews from people saying it was the closest to wheat pasta they had found. And the nutritional profile is better than wheat and brown rice pastas, with significantly more protein and fiber (and less net carbs, if low-carb is your thing). After all the alternative pastas we've gone through, this was definitely worth a try. I made my way to Whole Foods, where Banza pasta was on sale for $2.99 for an 8-ounce box, $1 off the usual price. It's expensive compared to our usual gold standard Montebello pasta, but not outrageous compared to other premium wheat pastas or gluten-free products (like child-sized bread), which cost twice as much for half the amount.

I decided to go all in and try a recipe for "Greek" pasta from Banza's website, which they had taken from a blogger friend of theirs. It needed a few things I don't have on hand regularly, including baby spinach, Kalamata olives, and crumbled feta, but I solved that problem by getting everything I needed for $2.50 at the Harris Teeter salad bar. Brad was out for a pre-race pasta dinner with the cross-country team on Friday, so I made this for just Mom and me. It was simple as could be and ready in the time it takes to boil the water and cook the pasta.

And I'm happy to report that it was a big winner. I'm not sure I'd say Banza is a dead "ringer for wheat," but it's the closest we've found, and the texture is the best by a wide margin. It is "just a tad chewier" than regular wheat pasta, but overall it's a darn good substitute. One 8-ounce box was a perfect size for Mom and me, so we will happily share this when I'm cooking for just the two of us. (Mom pronounced it "heavenly," as expected.) It appears that my bleak future of eating substandard pasta starting next year has been averted. Hallelujah.

[10/8/19 Update: My enthusiasm for Banza pasta cooled after this episode aired. I am now recommending Wegmans Organic Gluten Free Brown Rice Fusilli Pasta instead, as reported in Deliverance, episode II.]

This is my worst picture ever, and I overcooked the spinach

"Greek" Shells with Spinach and Feta

Adapted from Banza Pasta and Reclaiming Yesterday

2 shallots
3 medium garlic cloves
¼ cup (25 grams) sun-dried tomatoes
½ cup Kalamata olives
salt
8 ounces shells (1 box of Banza; wheat pasta is fine, too)
¼ cup (50 grams) extra-virgin olive oil, plus another drizzle
4 cups (85 grams) baby spinach
juice of ½ lemon
pinch of nutmeg
freshly ground black pepper
½ cup crumbled feta cheese

    1. Put a pot of at least 2 quarts of water on to boil.
    2. While the water is coming to a boil, finely dice the shallots; peel and mince or press the garlic; cut the sun-dried tomatoes into smallish pieces; and halve the olives (pit them first if necessary).
    3. When the water boils, add 2 teaspoons fine sea salt to the water, and stir until dissolved. Add the pasta to the water, stir well, and cook until al dente (~10 minutes for Banza).
    4. While the pasta cooks, heat the olive oil over medium heat in a saucier or wide sauté pan. Add the shallots and a pinch of salt, and sauté until softened but not browned, about 2 minutes. Stir in the garlic, and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
    5. Stir in the sun-dried tomatoes, olives, spinach, lemon juice, nutmeg, and a few grinds of black pepper. Cook just until the spinach leaves are slightly wilted. Remove from the heat.
    6. Drain the pasta, and transfer to a serving bowl. Add the shallot and spinach mixture to the bowl, along with the feta, and toss to combine. Finish with a drizzle of olive oil. Serve promptly. Serves 2.